I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked parts of it and it was creepy and interesting, but the pacing was way off and the ending felt rushed. ( )

I don't this book was my favorite. I like how this series was strucutred. It was a quick read but i did not feel that connected to the characters in the later book in this series. I felt like this book wraped up the whole series. I like that we got many character pov this book def gave my stranger things vibes ( )

I don't this book was my favorite. I like how this series was strucutred. It was a quick read but i did not feel that connected to the characters in the later book in this series. I felt like this book wraped up the whole series. I like that we got many character pov this book def gave my stranger things vibes ( )

This is the 4th book in a series that started with Small Spaces and it's best if you read the whole series in order, so read the first 3 before you read this one. The first book in this series was beyond spooky and was pretty scary, and the other two were just as good and spooky, but this one, while it was spooky, wasn't as good. I'm not sure what it was, but something was missing from the ending of this book for me. Other than it feeling like it was missing something, more explanation or background on The Smiling Man or something, it scared me but good this one with the clowns - Those clowns in this story are disturbing and somewhat terrifying even for me as an adult reading about these clowns in a Middle-Grade spooky read.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend checking it out if you've been following the series and want to know what happens with Ollie, Coco, Brian, and Phil and getting their chance to find and get Ollie back. Also, if you want a great spooky MG read for this time of year, it's a good one. You know what would even be better is to start with the first book and read it all the way through all at once. It's a great spooky fall read, and it also illustrates and shows how important families and friends are and communication, supporting, and helping each other out. It also talks about fears and overcoming them and such. If nothing else, I'd read it just for the spookiness of the carnival and a little bit of jump scares I had from reading about those clowns. I already hated clowns, so this made me hate them even more. Also, if you have a phobia of clowns, be aware of the creepy clowns in this book.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for letting me read and review this spooky story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

Ollie is trapped behind the mist in the Smiling Man's carnival. She is not a ghost but is not quite real either. Brian, Coco, and Phil believe they have to save her, but the reality is that it will take all of them working together on both sides of the mist to defeat the Smiling Man and bring Ollie back. And what about the dolls? This is a compelling and fitting conclusion to the Small Spaces series bringing the characters full circle and into direct conflict with the Smiling Man. I have anticipated this book and was not disappointed. Arden's plot is imaginative and she has woven the books together arfully to complete both stand alone accounts and a compelling series. Her characters are well done and the settings have been wonderful. Glad to have reached the conclusion but hate to see this series end. ( )